A core file derived from an application crash is created. The application belongs to a source platform and is run on a target platform. The application is emulated on the target platform. In response to the crash occurring, detecting whether the crash corresponds to the failure of a process corresponding to the emulated application. The crash process is mediated by intercepting information relating to the failure of the emulated application and writing a core file corresponding to the failure of the emulated application running on the source platform. A dynamic binary translator performs the steps and debugs an emulated application as if it had crashed and dumped a core file on its native platform.